Reefton Cemetery

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There's a number of Chinese graves in the Reefton Cemetery, and 38 internments total. Sadly most of the headstones have never been looked after and are falling to pieces.

So I thought I would collect some of the histories of the people interred, here is a few of them: From Twitter -Cory, on Rails @aitkesandpains


There were 785 Chinese miners in the Inangahua in 1882, mostly Cantonese. However many moved on to richer fields, & in 1884 only 303 people remained. 36 remained by 1916. Mostly old timers, Mostly still working (2/10)

Photo: An elderly Chinese man that lived at Reefton Hospital

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[nzbc]

The oldest person interned was Sue Kum, nicknamed 'Smiler'. He lived to be 98 years old, spending 78 years of that time in NZ, mostly in Reefton. He was interned on 18/01/1945 and is buried in plot 21. (3/10)

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[nzbc]

Ah Len or 'Lennie' was a local fruiterer and later labourer, who sold fresh fruit and even imported fish from Greymouth to sell. He was 61 (or 63 depending on the report) when he passed away on the 12/06/1936. He had spent 38 years in NZ (4/10)

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[nzbc]

Ah Chee nicknamed 'Archie', was a pensioner when he passed aged 83 on 21/5/1942, after over 60 years in NZ.
For Ti was a labourer who died 2/4/1929 after 54 years In NZ. He was 82 (or 78)
They loved going to Hoys theatre to watch movies. (5/10)

Photo: For Ti(possibly) & Ah Chee

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[nzbc]

Jo Kee, nicknamed 'Jockey', was a labourer and Gardener that lived in NZ for 51 years before his death 22/10/1919, aged 69 (6/10)

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Wong Can was a Labourer that worked on Mitchell's Farm at Crondaun. Greatly respected, he lived to be 81, spending nearly 50 of those years in Cronadun. He passsd away on 18/06/1934. His headstone still stands, though it seems to been moved from his plot 14 to plot 22. (7/10)

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[nzbc]

The last burial in the Section was Kong Yew Chew. Nicknamed 'Blinky' due to a facial tic, he passed away at age 80 on 01/06/1945 (8/10)

Photo of Kong Yew Chew dated 1933

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[nzbc]

This is just some of their stories of people buried here. Many spent years living in a country that was at times hostile to them, despite being here for as long as most Europeans. (9/10)

Photo: and elderly Chinese gentleman getting a haircut from Stan Austin

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[nzbc]

I've written up a report on the people interned at the Chinese Section, which is held at the Reefton Buller District Council office and the Blacks Point Museum. I hope one day that the graveyard can be restored. (10/10)

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